Cleaning and Taking Care of Your Altar for the New Year

Most all of you know one of the most important ways to prepare for Chinese New Year is to 
thoroughly inspect your home for any needed repairs and undertake a thorough cleaning behind all of your furniture (even if it is heavy and difficult to move) to remove stale energy from last year and get rid of cobwebs, dust etc.  In fact, just moving the furniture will shift the energy…but now is the best time to do a really good cleanup.

You will want to take care of your personal altar as well.  Since I am a Buddhist my suggestions here may not be according to your beliefs, but no matter what your spiritual preference, it’s a good idea to respectfully clean and take care of the altar in your home and/ or office and place of business.

First, ask permission of the deities prior to starting your cleaning ritual.  Remove everything from the altar – sacred images, altar cloths, candle holders, incense burners, offering bowls, flowers and vases etc.  Place sacred images respectfully on a separate table – never on the floor.  Then gently wipe the alter with water and pomelo or kaffir lime leaves to remove any dust or incense residue that may be present. If possible, move your altar out and away from the wall in order to thoroughly clean behind and below.

Inspect the items you have removed from the altar and any discard worn or damaged items such as altar cloth and replace with new ones.  Make sure your offering bowls are thoroughly cleaned and wiped dry in preparation for refilling. Use a clean cloth or towel when drying these items.   Incense burners should also be cleansed.

Offer yellow Chrysanthemums

Return the holy objects to your altar.  Consider placing yellow chrysanthemums as an offering to Buddha or the God that you worship or pussy willows symbolizing growth and springtime. Set up as many offerings as possible of incense, water bowls, food offerings, light offerings and you can recite OM AH HUM as you place your offerings and lighted incense.

You may also wish to repeat the following mantra twenty-one times when making your offerings:

Namah Sarva Tathagatha Avalokite Om Sambarha, Sambarha Hum

Dedicate your offerings and prayers in a manner befitting and appropriate to your beliefs and welcome the New Year with joy.  Recognize how lucky you are just to be alive and make choices and live as you wish!

Lillian